Power snow plow



1958 P. A. WRIGHT I 2,847,770

POWER snow PLOW Filed June 1a, 195a 3 /3 I INVENTOR Paul A. Wright United States Patent POWER SNOW PLOW Paul A. Wright, Grand Island, Nebr.

Application June 18, 1956, Serial No. 591,919

1 Claim. (Cl. 37-53) This invention relates to power snow plows.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a power snow plow particularly adapted to residential driveways and sidewalks and which, unlike most rotary plows which require force to place snow into its discharge blower, moves the snow upon initial contact, whereby to eliminate the need for forward thrust for operation.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a power snow plow of the above type wherein no feeding to a ,vaned rotor is required and wherein, due to the rate of speed which the belt and cleats forming a part of the invention travel, the snow will not pack within the hood chamber.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a power snow plow which performs equally well in all weather conditions.

For other objects and for a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Referring now more in detail to the drawing, represents a base frame, the forward end of which is rotatably mounted on the wheels 11 by means of the bearings 12 and shaft 13, substantially as illustrated.

The rear end of the base frame 10 is supported by means of a U-shaped upwardly and rearwardly extending handle bar 14.

A vertical mounting plate of sheet metal or other suitable material 15 is secured to the forward edge of the base frame 10 by means of the flange 16 and the fastening means 17, the mounting plate 15 extending upwardly and downwardly beyond the base frame (Fig. 2). The mounting plate 15 also extends laterally beyond the sides of the frame 10, terminating at one end in the semicircular portion and at the other in the outwardly and upwardly curved portion (Fig. 1).

An open sided hood is secured to the mounting plate 15 by means of the flange portion 18 and the fastening means 19 and includes the upper horizontal portion 20, the semi-cylindrical end portion 21 and the lower horizontal portion 22. The upper and lower portions and 22 at their ends remote from the semi-cylindrical portion 21 extend outwardly and upwardly in the curved portions 23 and 24, respectively, and are connected by the side closure plate 25 which define with the plate 15 a discharge chute 26, the plate 25 converging toward the plate 15 and providing the discharge opening 27, substantially as illustrated.

It will be noted that the bottom plate 22 extends downwardly and forwardly from the mounting plate 15 with the forward edge thereof contacting the ground 28 whereby to scoop the snow upwardly into the hood upon forward motion of the plow.

A pair of parallel, laterally spaced shafts 29 and 30. are journalled at their rear ends in the mounting plate 15 and mount a pair of laterally spaced rollers 31 which serve to mount the endless belt 32. The forward ends of the shafts 29 and 30 are journalled in the bearing members 33 and 34 which are in turn mounted at the opposite ends of the restangular frame 35 suitably mounted in fixed and parallel relationship to the mounting plate 15 within the hood and within the confines of the endless belt 32,. A wedge-shaped shield 36 is mounted across the frame member 35 and serves to direct the snow upwardly and downwardly into the hood upon forward motion of the plow.

The rear end of the shaft 29 extends rearwardly beyond the mounting plate 15 and fixedly mounts thereon a pulley 37, the, roller 31 being fixedly connected to the shaft 29. A gasoline engine indicated generally at 38 is mounted on the base frame 10 and includes the output shaft 39 on which is secured a pulley 4t) connected to the pulley 37 by means of the belt 41 whereby to drive the endless, belt 32 upon operation of the engine. A casing 42 encloses the gasoline engine and is secured to the frame 10 by means of the flanges 43 and fastening means 44. The sides and top of the frame 42 are provided with the air cooling vents or louvres 45. The hood will also be formed of sheet metal or other suitable metal. A plurality of vertical cleats 46 are secured to the endless belt 32 by means of the flange portions 47 and adapted to move within the hood at right angles to the belts whereby to move the snow in the direction of the arrows and to discharge the same through the chute and the chute opening 27.

In operation, as the plow is pushed forward by means of the handle bar 14, the snow enters the sheet metal hood and is pushed sideways by the vertical cleats 46.

As the belt and cleats start around the rollers, centrifugal force throws the snow out of the discharge chute. Unlike most rotary plows which require force to place snow into its discharge blower, the endless belt and cleats move the snow upon initial contact, thereby eliminating a great amount of forward thrust which would otherwise be necessary for operation. It will also be noted that no feeding to a vaned rotor is required. Because of the rate of speed at which the belt and cleats travel, the snow will not pack within the hood chamber.

While the machine shown is built on its own base with a power unit,it could be adapted for use with power garden tractors, power lawn mowers or the like.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claim.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

A power snow plow comprising base frame means, means rotatably mounting the forward end of said base frame means, handle means at the rear end of said base frame means for pushing the same, a vertical mounting plate secured to the forward end of said base frame means and extending upwardly and downwardly therebeyond, said mounting plate extending laterally beyond the sides of said base frame means and terminating at one end in a substantially semi-circular portion and at the other end in an outwardly and upwardly curved portion, a hood mounted along the upper and lower and semi-circular end edges of said mounting plate, and presenting a forwardly facing opening, said hood having a horizontal top plate, a horizontal bottom plate and a semi-cylindrical plate at one end adjacent said semicircular end of said mounting plate, said top and bottom plates of said hood terminating in upwardly curved and outwardly extending portions connected to the outwardly and upwardly extending portion of said vertical mounting plate with the forward edges of said outwardly and upwardly curved portions converging towards said mounting plate, and a plate connecting the forward edges of said upwardly and outwardly curved portions to provide a chute having a relatively small discharge opening,

endless belt means rotatably mounted and symmetrically arranged between said top and bottom plates within said hood, cleat means carried by said endless belt means substantially spanning the space between said belt means and said top and bottom plates adapted to move the snow within said hood in the direction of said endless belt means and to discharge the same through said chute, and means for driving said endless belt means comprising a gasoline motor mounted upon said base frame means and including an output shaft having a first pulley mounted thereon, said endless belt means including a pair of laterally spaced apart shafts rotatably supported upon said mounting plate, one of said shafts extending rearwardly beyond said mounting plate and supporting a second pulley, a belt connecting said first and second pulleys, said endless belt means further including a transverse frame member mounted in parallel spaced relationship with said mounting plate within said belt means,

a pair of bearing members at opposite ends of said frame member, the forward ends of said shafts being journalled in said bearing members, a pair of rollers mounted on each one of said shafts, a wedge shaped shield mounted upon the forward face of said frame means equally spaced between said top and bottom hood plates adapted to direct the snow both upwardly and downwardly into the path of movement of said plates adjacent to each one of said top and bottom hood plates, and a casing enclosing said motor having air vent openings mounted upon said base frame means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,407,947 Pagel Feb. 28, 1922 1,577,561 Chiles Mar. 23, 1926 1,703,619 Gullberg Feb. 26, 1929 2,408,459 Tuttle Oct. 1, 1946 2,616,553 Joy Nov. 4, 1952 2,650,439 Hickman M Sept 1, 1953 2,768,454 Schmechal Oct. 30, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 459,760 Canada Sept. 20, 1949 

